Hammond Development International, Inc.

Patent Trials and Appeals Board

Sep 10, 2020

IPR2020-00414 (P.T.A.B. Sep. 10, 2020)

Trials@uspto.gov Paper 22
571-272-7822 Date: September 10, 2020

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
____________

BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
____________

GOOGLE LLC,
Petitioner,

v.

HAMMOND DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL, INC.,
Patent Owner.
____________

IPR2020-00214 (Patent 9,716,732), IPR2020-00298 (Patent 9,456,040),
IPR2020-00305 (Patent 9,716,732), IPR2020-00306 (Patent 10,193,935),
IPR2020-00411 (Patent 9,420,011), IPR2020-00412 (Patent 9,456,040),
IPR2020-00413 (Patent 10,193,935), IPR2020-00414 (Patent 9,705,937),
IPR2020-00415 (Patent 9,705,937)1
____________

Before MICHELLE N. WORMMEESTER, AMBER L. HAGY, and
KRISTI L. R. SAWERT, Administrative Patent Judges.

HAGY, Administrative Patent Judge.

TERMINATION
Due to Settlement After Institution of Trial
35 U.S.C. § 317; 37 C.F.R. § 42.74

1 We exercise our discretion to issue one order to be entered in each case.
The parties are not authorized to use a caption identifying multiple cases.
IPR2020-00214 (Patent 9,716,732), IPR2020-00298 (Patent 9,456,040),
IPR2020-00305 (Patent 9,716,732), IPR2020-00306 (Patent 10,193,935),
IPR2020-00411 (Patent 9,420,011), IPR2020-00412 (Patent 9,456,040),
IPR2020-00413 (Patent 10,193,935), IPR2020-00414 (Patent 9,705,937),
IPR2020-00415 (Patent 9,705,937)

2

I. INTRODUCTION
With the Board’s authorization, Petitioner and Patent Owner
(collectively referred to as “the Parties”) filed Joint Motions to Terminate
the above-identified proceedings due to settlement. Paper 20 (“Joint
Motion”).2 In support of the Joint Motions, the Parties filed a Confidential
Covenant Not to Sue (Ex. 1023, “Covenant”) and Joint Stipulation of Partial
Dismissal (Ex. 1024, “Stipulation”). The Parties further filed Joint Requests
to Treat the Covenant as Business Confidential Information pursuant to 35
U.S.C. § 317(b) and 37 C.F.R. § 42.74(c). Paper 22 (“Joint Request”).
II. DISCUSSION
Under 35 U.S.C. § 317(a), “[a]n inter partes review instituted under
this chapter shall be terminated with respect to any petitioner upon the joint
request of the petitioner and the patent owner, unless the Office has decided
the merits of the proceeding before the request for termination is filed.” It is
also provided in 35 U.S.C. § 317(a) that if no petitioner remains in the inter
partes review, the Office may terminate the review.
In the Joint Motions, the Parties represent that they have reached an
agreement jointly to seek termination of these inter partes review
proceedings, and that the filed copies of the Covenant and Stipulation are
true and complete copies. Joint Motion 1. The Parties further represent that
the Covenant and Stipulation resolve all currently pending Patent Office and

2 All citations are to IPR2020-00214 with the understanding that the other
proceedings include papers having substantially the same substantive
content.
IPR2020-00214 (Patent 9,716,732), IPR2020-00298 (Patent 9,456,040),
IPR2020-00305 (Patent 9,716,732), IPR2020-00306 (Patent 10,193,935),
IPR2020-00411 (Patent 9,420,011), IPR2020-00412 (Patent 9,456,040),
IPR2020-00413 (Patent 10,193,935), IPR2020-00414 (Patent 9,705,937),
IPR2020-00415 (Patent 9,705,937)

3
District Court proceedings between the Parties involving the above-
referenced patents. Id. at 1–2.
We instituted trials on the above-identified proceedings. We have not
yet decided the merits of the proceedings, however, and final written
decisions have not been entered. Notwithstanding that the proceedings have
moved beyond the preliminary stage, the Parties have shown adequately that
the termination of the proceedings is appropriate. Under these
circumstances, we determine that good cause exists to terminate the
proceedings with respect to the Parties.
The Parties also filed Joint Requests that the Covenant be treated as
business confidential information and be kept separate from the files of the
respective patents involved in these inter partes proceedings. Paper 22, 1.
After reviewing the Covenant between Petitioner and Patent Owner, we find
that the Covenant contains confidential business information regarding the
terms of settlement. We determine that good cause exists to treat the
Covenant between Petitioner and Patent Owner as business confidential
information pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 317(b) and 37 C.F.R. § 42.74(c).
This Order does not constitute a final written decision pursuant to
35 U.S.C. § 318(a).
III. ORDER
Accordingly, for the reasons discussed above, it is:
ORDERED that the Joint Motions to Terminate are granted, and
IPR2020-00214, IPR2020-00298, IPR2020-00305, IPR2020-00306,
IPR2020-00411, IPR2020-00412, IPR2020-00413, IPR2020-00414,
IPR2020-00415 are terminated with respect to Petitioner and Patent Owner
IPR2020-00214 (Patent 9,716,732), IPR2020-00298 (Patent 9,456,040),
IPR2020-00305 (Patent 9,716,732), IPR2020-00306 (Patent 10,193,935),
IPR2020-00411 (Patent 9,420,011), IPR2020-00412 (Patent 9,456,040),
IPR2020-00413 (Patent 10,193,935), IPR2020-00414 (Patent 9,705,937),
IPR2020-00415 (Patent 9,705,937)

4
pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 317(a) and 37 C.F.R. § 42.72; and
FURTHER ORDERED that the Joint Requests to Treat the Settlement
Agreement as Business Confidential Information are granted, and the
Covenant shall be kept separate from the files of the above-referenced
patents, and made available only to Federal Government agencies on written
request, or to any person on a showing of good cause, pursuant to 35 U.S.C.
§ 317(b) and 37 C.F.R. § 42.74(c).

IPR2020-00214 (Patent 9,716,732), IPR2020-00298 (Patent 9,456,040),
IPR2020-00305 (Patent 9,716,732), IPR2020-00306 (Patent 10,193,935),
IPR2020-00411 (Patent 9,420,011), IPR2020-00412 (Patent 9,456,040),
IPR2020-00413 (Patent 10,193,935), IPR2020-00414 (Patent 9,705,937),
IPR2020-00415 (Patent 9,705,937)

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FOR PETITIONER:

Erika H. Arner
Kevin D. Rodkey
John M. Mulcahy
FINNEGAN, HENDERSON, FARABOW, GARRETT, & DUNNER LLP
erika.arner@finnegan.com
kevin.rodkey@finnegan.com
john.mulcahy@finnegan.com

FOR PATENT OWNER:

Andrew J. Wright
Barry Bumgardner
Joseph P. Oldaker
Matthew C. Juren
Joseph Oldaker
NELSON BUMGARDNER ALBRITTON P.C.
andrew@nbafirm.com
barry@nelbum.com
joseph@nbafirm.com
matthew@nbafirm.com
joseph@nelbum.com